ALL benefits stopped. Now what?

HappyMJ

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Now that you've moved her in though you can't separate your circumstances out that easily anymore. You're a household, your finances are intertwined whether either of you likes it or not.

I don't really quite understand. I moved in with her into a flat we found together. It's our flat....I didn't move her in. She had to get out of her house and I couldn't move in to her house. I moved out of my own place which was not suitable for us as a couple and we moved in together. She had a Section 21 and the bailiffs were about to kick her out onto the street.

Am I therefore now liable to pay for her debts? Is she liable to pay for all of my debts too? I'm sure one person in a relationship can have personal debts without the other person being affected or liable for the debts of the other.

hohum

As I understand it, you're not obligated for her debts as you aren't named on them and aren't married, correct?

My experience many years back was that if you are co-habiting, your income and assets would be assessed jointly from a benefits point of view.

I understand that there are barriers to finding and also being able to sustain full time work and really, you've been pretty clear. I think people should perhaps back off as we don't know your full health situation.

I think talking to a debt charity is a good idea.

Going forward I wouldn't rule out small income generating activities that your partner could manage, perhaps more on her own schedule? Also, if you are a partnership then there are many more ways a person can contribute beyond financially. She could look at starting to handle her debt as her contribution eg taking steps by phoning CAB or Stepchange to help her manage the situation is a contribution she can make!

HappyMJ

hohum wrote: »

As I understand it, you're not obligated for her debts as you aren't named on them and aren't married, correct?

My experience many years back was that if you are co-habiting, your income and assets would be assessed jointly from a benefits point of view.

I understand that there are barriers to finding and also being able to sustain full time work and really, you've been pretty clear. I think people should perhaps back off as we don't know your full health situation.

I think talking to a debt charity is a good idea.

Going forward I wouldn't rule out small income generating activities that your partner could manage, perhaps more on her own schedule? Also, if you are a partnership then there are many more ways a person can contribute beyond financially. She could look at starting to handle her debt as her contribution eg taking steps by phoning CAB or Stepchange to help her manage the situation is a contribution she can make!

No I am not named on any of them and not married. Her ex-partner was named on the tenancy agreement and would be jointly liable for some of the rent arrears so I suppose they'll chase him for them if she doesn't pay. The mobile contract was taken out by him under her name and in reality she just doesn't want to pay for it as she never agreed to it. The benefits overpayments I think some of them could also be considered joint debts between her and her ex so they could go after him too. They made her make payments out of her benefits as she was in receipt of benefits after he left so therefore an easy target. Not sure about that one. She's waiting on the DWP to send a statement.

rockm87

hohum wrote: »

I think talking to a debt charity is a good idea.

Agreed!

also if you are living together get a budget together that you can both stick to.

Torry_Quine

I know you aren't married but for the benefit of anyone else even if you are married you aren't responsible for debts totally in your spouses name.

Red-Squirrel_2

HappyMJ wrote: »

I don't really quite understand. I moved in with her into a flat we found together. It's our flat....I didn't move her in. She had to get out of her house and I couldn't move in to her house. I moved out of my own place which was not suitable for us as a couple and we moved in together. She had a Section 21 and the bailiffs were about to kick her out onto the street.

Am I therefore now liable to pay for her debts? Is she liable to pay for all of my debts too? I'm sure one person in a relationship can have personal debts without the other person being affected or liable for the debts of the other.

She lost all her benefits (her only possible source of income apparently) to move in with you, because for the purpose of claiming benefits you are a unit.

Does that not give you any pause at all regarding your obligations to her?

HappyMJ

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

She lost all her benefits (her only possible source of income apparently) to move in with you, because for the purpose of claiming benefits you are a unit.

Does that not give you any pause at all regarding your obligations to her?

I think I've said it before but I'll say it again I have just about enough money coming in to cover ALL our ongoing expenditure and I don't mind paying for that (except as I said for the cigarettes, alcohol and any gambling she wishes to have which she pays for). I knew she would lose her benefits when we moved in together. I do not have enough to cover her pre-existing debts and technically as she was on benefits neither did she which was the reason she incurred them in the first place. I did say she was being evicted for non-payment of rent as she was using the housing benefit she received to meet a shortfall in her budget so she did not pay the rent and therefore owes £1,800 and the now ex-landlord will be getting a CCJ against her which will also increase the amount owed as well. I could go further into debt myself to repay her creditors as I do have enough available credit to do that but that would make things much worse for me and therefore us as a couple in the future..at least if I have a perfect credit record we can always secure a new tenancy or even a mortgage at some point in the future. Also, I would not be able to meet the increased minimum payments on that new level of debt. Taking a best case scenario and assuming she only has £5,000 of debt that would increase the minimum payments on my credit card by £150 per month. I just can't do that. She was going without heating and eating to cover her debt repayments which she should never have done. She also has an income of her own - she claims a pension.

HappyMJ

Remember me?

All the outstanding rent has now been written off. Why? The landlord never protected the deposit. The S21 she got was actually invalid because of it and she could of stayed for even longer without paying rent but anyway I didn't know the deposit wasn't protected at the time so we went forward on that basis.

EE have agreed not to chase her for the outstanding mobile debt incurred by her ex in her name. yay... It will remain on her credit report.

The only debt now is HMRC which can be recovered eventually. It's such a small amount they won't be seeking to enforce payment and does not appear on her credit record.

She's also started doing some online work with me and started bringing in a small amount of cash around £100 per week which should go some way towards replacing the money that she lost.

Hopefully all should be OK now....